Line-stop for typographical machines



E. W. PIERSON.

LtNE STOP FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MAGHlNES. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 27, 1920.

1,392,792. Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR UNETEB fi'l'iATES earner caries.

EDI/VIN VJ. PIERSO1\T OF NEVTARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTERTYPECORPO- RATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, -A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINE-srcr non TYPOGRAPHIGALMAGHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. a, 1921.

Application filed November 27, 1920. Serial No. 426,825.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, EDWIN WALTER PIER- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Line-Stops forTypographical Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in typographical machinesand more especially to those of the linotype class which employ aso-called first elevator, the function of which is to receive anassembled line of matrices and spacers from a line delivery carriage,lower the line so received.

to the casting mechanism and to subsequently elevate the line to ahigher level for transfer to a so-called second elevator for delivery tothe matrix distributer.

In the practical operation of typographical machines of this type, ithas been found that the end matrices in the line contained in the firstelevator are liable to become separated from the remaining matrices inthe, line and to become turned orotherwise d1splaced, thus causingjamming ofthe line during transfer thereof from the firstelevator, andin some cases, the end matrices drop from the elevator. droppingof theend matrices of the line is likely to occur particularly during theascent of the first elevator following a casting operation, it beingcaused by jarring or vibration incident to the operation of the machine,and it is veryapt to occur when the assembled line in the first elevatoris used re-- peatedly to produce duplicate type slugs, in which case,the same line of matrices and spacers remains in the first elevator andis elevated tothe transfer position and lowered to the casting positionincidental to the casing of each type slug.

The object of the present invention is to; provide a novel and improvedline stop in the first elevator which is capable of accom;modatingitself automatically to the length of each line received bythe'first elevator, thus compensating for any variation that may occurin the length of the lines, without l requiring manual setting oradjustment by the operator, and which will'function to properly positionand prevent displacement or dropping of the matrix at the forward oradvanced end of the line, these results being attained in such mannerthat the line This displacement or v linotype class.

' stop will have a minimum movement incidental to the reception of eachline by the first elevator, in consequence of which, wear is reduced toa minimum and efficiency of operation is attained.

To these and other ends, the invention cons sts in certain improvementsand combinatlons and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinaftermore fully described, the features of novelty being pointed outparticularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the firstelevator and the line delivery carriage of a typographical machine ofthe linotype class, the same having the present invention embodiedtherein; I

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper end of the first elevator, thefront 3' aw thereof being broken away, and a part of the cooperativeline deliverycarriage, as shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 represents a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.-

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in theseveral views.

the casting mechanism and subsequently ele ,vates the line for deliveryto distributing mechanism, and the invention is also applicablegenerally to typographical machines having an element equivalent to thesocalled first elevator used in machines of the The preferred embodimentof the invention is herein shown and will be described in detail. It isto be understood, however, that theinvention is not restricted to theprecise construction shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplatedand these will be included within the scope of the claims. 7

In the present instance, 1 and 2 represent the front and rear'jawsrespectively of a first elevator of the kind generally used intypographical machines of the well known linotype class, these jawsbeing secured together in, fixed relation, at the lefthand end of theelevator by an interposed block 3. 'The opposite or righthand end of theelevator is open to receive the line of matrices,

and the inner faces of the jaws l and 2 are grooved to provide channels5 and 6 to re' ceive the ears on the upper ends of the matrices and tothus support and guide the matrices The matrices M are preferably of thestandard kind and the spacers S are also preferably of the standardwedge or expansible type. It will be understood that the first elevatoris positioned at one level to receive the composed line of matrices andspacers, the line entering the elevator from the right (Figs. 1 and 2),after which the elevator descends until the rear jaw 2 is immediatelyabove the mouth-piece of the metal pot, after which the metal pot iscaused to move forward, bringing the mouth-piece thereof into contactthrough the mold with the character-bearing por-- tions of the matricesin the line, and after the cast has been made and the metal potretracted, the first elevator rises, it passing above the levelat'which'it received the line of matrices and reaching a point where theline is transferred from the first elevator for delivery to distributingmechanism. The line delivery carriage which introduces the composed lineof matrices and spacers into the first elevator may be of theconstruction generally employed for this purpose, the

line delivery carrlage shown comprising a pair of'fingers 7 and 8 whichare adapted to receive the composed line endwise between them, afterwhich the fingers are shiftable in unison, thus carrying the lineendwise into the first elevator. The finger 7 which is located at therear or righthand end of the line, is carried by a slide which iscomposed of slide blocks 9, 10 and 11 which are adapted to reciprocatein a grooved guide which extends from the as sembling elevator'to thefirst elevator, these slide blocks being connected by rails 12, and thefinger 8 is carried by slide blocks 13 and 14: which are connected by arail 15 which isslidable relatively to the rails 12,, this arrangementcausing the fingers 7 and 8 to move in'unison during the operation ofthe line .delivery carriage, but permitting relative adjustment of thefingers to vary the distancebetween them in order that they may be setto accommodate lines ofdi'fferent lengths.

It will be understood that during the operation of transferring acomposed line of matrices and spacers from the assembling elevator tothe first elevator, the line of matrices and spacers is carried into thefirst elevator by the fingers 7 and 8 which engage the opposite ends ofthe line, these fingers projecting downwardly through the space formedbetween the front and rear jaws 1 and 2 of the first elevator. Suitabledevices are now in use for confining and preventing displacement of therighthand or rear end of the line after the same has been extend inparallelism, are shaped and,

spaced to fit and slide longitudinally in the matrix supporting channels5 and 60f the These slide bars extend into first elevator. the firstelevator from the lefthand side thereof and theirrighthand endsformabutments in the matrix channels against which the upper matrixsupporting lugs of the foremost matrix in the line abut when the line isintroduced into the first, elevator. The slide bars are'space'd apartsufficiently to straddle the finger 8 of the line delivery carriage. Atension spring 18 which may 1' be connected at one end to the crosspiece 17 and at its opposite end to the spacing block 3, acts to urgethe linest'o com r is{ ing the slide bar 16 toward the right *igs.

1 and 2), or toward the matrix receiving end of the first elevator.Means is provided for restraining movement of the line stopunder theinfluence of the spring 18, at certain times. Preferably and as shown,this restraining device comprises a friction plun ger 19 which is guidedto operate vertically in the top of the first elevator and is providedwith a spring 20 which always acts to force "the lunger downwardly "andto produce a frictional engagement between' its lower end and the topedge of one of the slide bars 16 of the line stop, the frictionalresistance thus offered being sufficient, when r the plunger 19 isunrestrained, to prevent movement of the line stpf' under the influenceof its sprlng 18., cans 1s also provided for retracting the frictionplunger and thus permit the line stop to shift lon-- gitudinally in thematrix channels so that the line stop may accommodate itself to thelength of the linereceivedbythe first elevator. Preferably, and asshown,the restraining or releasing device for the frictionfplungercomprises'a shaft 21 whichis pivoted on the top of the first elevatorand, is provided with an arm 22 arranged to engage beneath a head 23 onthe projecting upper end of the friction plunger and a second arm 24which 7 is also fixed to the shaft 21 and isarranged to be engaged anddepressed by a pin or projection 25 carried by the line transfercarriage,the pin or projection 25 assuming a position which will causeit to depress the arm 24:, and hence to lift or retract the frictionplunger 19 when the line delivery carriage reaches "the limit of itslefthand'or line delivery movement.

The mode of operation of the line stop is as follows: The line, ofmatrices and spacers which have-been received between the fingers 7 and8 of the line delivery carriage, from the assembling elevator, as iswell understooch is shifted endwise by the line delivery. movement ofthe carriage,,the composed line being thereby introducedinto the firstelevator. This movement of the line delivery carriage, which movement isfixedor, definite,'will bring the foremost or lefthand end matrix in theline into a position in the first elevator, whichwill be de termined bythe length of the composed line. As the line delivery carriageapproaches the limit of its line delivery movement, the pin 25 thereonengages and depresses the arm 24, thereby retracting the frictionplunger 19. The line stop is thereby released and if the line receivedby the first elevator is longer than the immediately preceding line, theforemost or lefthand end matrix of the line will engage the righthandends of the slide bars 16 of the line stop and will push the lattertoward the left until the composed line has been fully introduced, intothe first elevator. On the other band, should the line received beshorter than the immediately preceding line, the line stopnupon beingreleased by the final portion of the line delivery movement of thecarriage, will advance or shift toward the right, under the influence ofits spring 18, until the righthand ends of theslide'bars 1'6 abutagainst the foremost or lefthand end matrixin the line. If the linereceived by the first elevator is of the same'length as the precedingline received by it, the line stop will be released when the linedelivery carriage substantially reaches the limit of its line deliverymovement, but the movement of the line stop will be very small orinsignificant. In any case, the line stop will adjust itselfiautomatically to the length of each line re ceived by the firstelevator. Immediately following the reception of the line of matricesfrom the line delivery carriage, the first elevator descends to presentthe composed line to the casting mechanism, in a manner that is wellknown in the art, and the initial part of this descent carries the arm24: downwardly out of contact with the tripping pin 25 on the linedelivery carriage, in consequence of which the spring plunger 19 willimmediately reengage the line stop and thus restrain it from movement ineither direction, and the line stop will then confine the lefthand endmatrix and prevent its displacement. The line stop remains in thiscondition during the subsequent ascent of the first elevator whichcarries the line up past the level at which. the line was received, to aposition where the line is transferred from the first elevator to thesocalled second elevator, from which the matrices are conveyed to thedistributer, as is well understood by those familiar with the art, andthe line stop is not released until the next succeeding line of matricesand spacers is delivered to the first elevator, whereupon it is releasedand it accommopflates itself to the length of the line, as beore.

It has been customary hereto-fore to em ploy a line stop which was heldin set position by a set screw or clamp, the line stop being resetmanually each time the line measure was changed. W Vith the advent ofmodern improvements in typographical machines of this class, it hasbecome desirable cr -necessary to make these changes in line measurefrequently, and the consequent necessity of manually changing thesetting of the line stop to correspond with the changes in line measureof the machine has proven to be very inconvenient and it has caused theloss of much time. Also the patent granted to H. A. Armstrong, No.1,108,825, granted August 25, 1914, shows and describes an automatic orself-adjusting line stop, but in that case the line stop returned to therighthand or entrance end of the elevator each time a line wastransferred from the elevator. and each incoming line would push theline stop to the left for a distance equal substantially to the extentof movement of the line in entering the elevator, the line stop beingheld in the position to which it was thus advanced by friction. Whilethat arrangement accommodated it self automatically to the length of theline, it has the disadvantage that it requires the line stop to be movedthe full length of the line with each delivery of a new line to theelevator, this wide range of movement of the line stop tending to causeexcessive wear, especially as the line stop was held in place byfriction which precluded entirely free movement of the line stop. Thepresent invention provides a line stop which possesses substantialadvantages over those referred to. It is entirely automatic in itsoperation, thus avoiding inconvenience and loss of time involved in themanual setting of line stops as heretofore used, and the movement of theline stop incident to the reception of each line by'the first elevatoris reduced to the lowest possible minimum. As long as the measure forwhich the machine is set is unchanged, the line stop will move onlyslightly and to an insignificant degree after the delivery of eachcomposed line to the first elevator, and when the measure of the machineis changed, the line stop will accommodate itself to the difference inlength with a perfectly free action and without causing any appreciablewear to itself or to the guides in which it travels, the extent ofmovement of the line stop involved in its resetting for any change inthe measure or length of the line being only equal substantially to thedifierence between the length of the-line, as

changed, and the length or measure of the line previously used.

I claim as my invent1on: I

associated with such elevator during its movements and positioned toencounter an incoming line, and means to position the line stopaccording'to the length of the incoming line.-

2, In atypographical machine having an elevator adaptedfor the endwisereception of an assembled line, a line stop within such elevator andtending to move in opposition to anincomingline, and means for holding Ivator commences its descent. V

7. In a typographical machine of the linotype class having a firstelevator, and aline the line stop in setposition.-

" 3. In a typographical machine ofthe lino type class having a firstelevator, a line carria e adjustable to'receive assembled lines of dierent measures and operativeto deliver such lines to the first elevator,a' line stop carriedby the first elevator and having a tendency to moveagainst the forward end of an incoming llne, and means controlledby'the' line carriage to position the line stop.

4. In a typographical machine havingan elevator, and means fortransferring an assembled line endwise thereto, a line stop 'my hand inpresence oftwo subscribing witmovable in the velevator and having atendency to move toward one end of a line therein, and a device forrestraining the line stop V from movement, said device belng releasablebysaid line transferring means.

5. In a typographical machine of the linotype class having a firstelevator, and a car-V riage fordeliveringanassembled line thereto, aline stop tending to move toward one elevator, anda linejca-r ria'ge fordelivering an assembled line thereto, a line stop carried by saidelevator and tending to move against the end of an incoming line, adevice for restraining the line stop, said device being re leasableby'the line carriage to permit the line stop to adjust itself to'thelength of the line'andreengageable with the line stop-t0 hold it inadjusted positionwhen the elecarriage for delivering as assembled linethereto, a"l1ne sto carried by. the elevator and having a ten ency tomovetoward an,

incoming line, a restraining device for the line stop, and meanscontrolled by the line.

carriage for releasing the line stop fromsaid restraining dev ce whenthe line carriage ap-h proaches the limit'of its l'ine transferringmovement. V In testimony whereof I have hereunto set nesses.

EDWIN INALTERIIERSON. Witnesses: r

" R. O. VAN HORN,

: IVI FRED C. CRAM.

